


Thunder

by captain_vantass



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-14
Updated: 2015-04-14
Packaged: 2018-03-22 20:41:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3742900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captain_vantass/pseuds/captain_vantass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He'd faced worse then the wrath of the weather. It was the way the thunder cracked, the way it boomed like an explosion right outside.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thunder

**Author's Note:**

> Really self indulgent comfort thing, woops.  
> Sorry.

A crack of thunder shook the entire, beachside shack. A bolt of lightning lit up all the shadows in a brief, fleeting moment. And the boy couldn't bear to sit in the darkness anymore. He shoved the blankets off himself and scrambled for a light. Briefly, he was blind in the artificial brightness. 

It wasn't that the storm scared him. Not even a little. He'd faced worse then the wrath of the weather. It was the way the thunder cracked, the way it boomed like an explosion right outside. Alien technology, firing like a bullet from a gun. The crash of something very heavy and metal colliding with the Earth. A hard hit to the head. 

Alone, in a dark house, rattled by the explosions of sound.. It was enough to make him want to sit in the light, at the very least. Maybe curl up with one of the books Connie had suggested, make a snack.. Play some video games--.

"Steven?"

"Huh-?" The sound he made was an awkward yelp, spurred from being startled from his thoughts. He twisted toward the sound so fast, it was a wonder he didn't fall over. His gaze met the concern, maternal one that belonged to Pearl. The two stared at eachother in a vacant silence for a few moments (-Mostly due to Steven calming himself after the silly-spooking.) "Oh--Hey, Pearl-"

His exaggerated nonchalance was not lost on the gem, who eyed him silently for a few moments. The intent, vaguely judgmental gaze was almost scanning him. "Shouldn't you be asleep?" 

"Well, I was gonna do that, but.." _**BOOM!**_ His words died in his throat. With eyes as wide as dinner plates, his thoughts flickered rapid-fire through the recent events. The ones that shook him to the core-Despite any protests he might provide. _Explosions, Spaceships, Garnet, Hostile-Gems, Homeworld-_

Pearl took the abrupt pallor and vacant stare as something wrong-Very wrong, clearly, to rattle the lighthearted boy she'd known-Helped _raise_ for all these years.

She was knelt before him and grasping his trembling hands before he'd registered she had moved. In a soft, gentle voice she hummed her words with delicate precision. "You can't sleep, can you?" His teeth grit slightly together and he nodded an affirmative to her question. "Do you want to talk about it?"

All the times he'd argued he was ready, every time the gems had been uncertain. How many times had they rejected his volunteer-work on a mission they would be going on? How many times had they told him he wasn't ready? They'd tried to send him off-How he'd come back despite their efforts to keep him safe.. And in all of that.. They were _right_.

He shook his head quietly.

Pearl watched the way his gaze flickered to avoid hers. Shame, guilt, and a mix of other distraught emotions washed over his features. There would be a time to pry for what troubled the boy. But the exhaustion weighing down his young shoulders and the bags under his eyes told her, now was not the time. 

"Hrm. What if I sat with you, kept you company until you fell asleep?" The potential for an argument built up, only to be shattered with another crack of thunder that made him latch onto her with a crushing tightness-- _Good Lord, When did he get so strong?_.  
Perhaps it came from all the weight he constantly tried to hold with his shoulders.

"I'll take that as a yes." She stated softly, fond smile gracing her lips as she wrapped her arms around the half-gem in turn. "Uppsie-Daisy." She warned lightly as she rose back to her full height, taking the boy with her as she went. Somehow, he held on tighter and the thought, baffled at his strength, flickered through her mind. 

She gave him a small, reassuring squeeze. After a brief internal debate, she turned to the nearby couch, carefully sitting herself down, and settling the boy comfortably beside her as best she could with his arms wrapped around her slim form and his face buried intently against her. 

"Steven.." She murmured gently. One hand abandoning his torso to gently run through the curls on his head. _Just like his mother's._ He pried his face from where it was pressed against her to look with wide, watering eyes. The potential they would spill was too great to take lightly. The last thing she wanted was to make him cry-He was already going through enough. "..Nothing's going to harm you, not with any of us around to protect you."

Silence. His gaze stayed focused on her. She wondered if he knew how poor he was at keeping a blank face, like he seemed to be attempting. But his features betrayed the pure, raw, concern coming from deep within. From a place of love and compassion where he seemed to hold all his empathy his loved ones. The place which made him dive in front of them or disobey their orders. Pearl'd be damned if she wasn't certain she'd seen the same look in his mother's eyes.

"What about _you?_ " He stressed softly, distress lacing his words as his head went right back against her. "Who's going to protect you--Or-Or Garnet, or Amethyst?" Vivid flashbacks-Like he was there again. Watching Garnet fall apart before his eyes, dashing through the halls of an alien ship-Seeing his _family_ in cells.

Pearl was certain part of her heart broke at the distraught tone. This wasn't the way he was supposed to be-He was supposed to be happy, carefree. Not clutched onto her, trembling with a fear renewed every time the thunder clapped.

"Oh.. Steven.." Her hand slid down his face to cup his chin and direct his gaze back to you. "We'll.. All protect each other. It is what  
we've been doing for many years.. You've seen it. Garnet, Amethyst, Myself.. You, as well. We can handle.. Anything.." It was a blatant lie-Pearl was hardly sure they could handle _anything_ that Homeworld could offer-Given how close the last encounter had been. But the lie was enough to make the naive boy's tension being to ebb away. "We're all.. Strong. In the real way." A faint smile flickered onto his face, "We'll be fine.." 

The answer eased his worries. If only for a brief time. There was another time to bring the tears back to his eyes, poke at the demons bothering him. For now, Pearl let his head rest back against her. Held him close-Closer, when the thunder boomed. It took some time. Half an hour, a full one. She wasn't certain. They spent it in the comfortable silence that lulled the boy into a sense of calm, protected from his worried by the arms wrapped gently around him. When he was sagged against her, lost in a dream that would likely be preferable to the reality they were facing, she leaned her head back, gaze focused on the ceiling. 

Steven slept peacefully. Free from his worries and the stress that came with the title of Crystal Gem.  
Pearl shouldered the weight of his fears as she listened to the boom of the thunder and compared the sound to explosions.


End file.
